1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus and a method of making slotted tubular dunnage for supporting products in a shipping container.
2. Background Art
Typically, a shipping or storage carton in which dunnage may be placed for supporting parts comprises a conventional cardboard or similar box having four connected sidewalls, a connected bottom wall, and four hinged lid flaps. The box is sized to accept the length of particular products being shipped or stored. Specifically, within the box is disposed laterally spaced apart lengths of tubular dunnage, wherein the lengths of the dunnage are such as to slidably fit between walls of the box. The dunnage may be laterally arranged in pairs which cooperatively support a plurality of products being shipped or stored.
It is known that the auto industry in the United States has been moving toward the elimination of foam packaging such as polystyrene and other foams for automotive parts. This includes a substantial elimination of dunnage used in the automotive industry for handling and shipping automotive parts. Generally, such parts have been shipped in boxes having a bottom wall, side walls, and a lid wherein dunnage is placed to support the parts against abrasion and damage during shipment.
As provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,652 to Carroll which is herein incorporated by reference, dunnage is made by a method of placing a tube into a clamp shell fixture having upper and lower platens movable between open and closed positions. As the tube is inserted therein, the clam shell fixture is closed and engages the sides of the tube with the platens to form slots on the tube, forming the dunnage.
Although the current methods are adequate, the industry continues to look to more time and cost effective ways.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method of making slotted tubular dunnage for supporting products in a shipping container. The present invention provides a more efficient way of making slotted tubular dunnage. The present invention is more efficient because it saves time and costs in making such dunnage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method of making slotted tubular dunnage for supporting products. The method comprises providing a tube having a pair of flanges at opposite sides extending along the length of the tube, and holding the tube by gripping the flanges at opposite sides of the tube and squeezing the sides of the tube together. The method further includes, while holding the tube with the sides squeezed together, moving the tube into a slotting position between a steel rule die and a kissing plate and in such position shifting the steel rule die against and through the sides of the tube, forming a slot therein surrounding a cut-out slug of the tube. The method further comprises withdrawing the steel rule die from the tube while retaining the slug within the slot, and while squeezing the tube, moving the tube to a discharge position where at the squeezing the sides of the tube is discontinued.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for stamping a tube to make a slotted tubular dunnage for supporting products in a shipping container. The apparatus comprises a fixture for holding a steel rule die with a face for stamping the tube to make the slotted tubular dunnage, and a movable base plate having clamps with notches formed thereon to hold the tube on the movable base plate, wherein the movable base plate is movable along a substantially parallel plane relative to the face of the die. The apparatus further comprises a conveying mechanism for moving the movable base plate to and from the steel rule die along the substantially parallel plane relative to the face of the die, wherein the conveying mechanism is connected to the movable base plate. The apparatus further includes a sensor for determining the presence of the tube held on the movable base plate in an indexing position, wherein the sensor is in communication with the movable base plate, and a microprocessor for controlling the fixture to cut an opening on the tube after the presence of the tube on the movable base plate is determined, wherein the microprocessor is in communication with the sensor, the fixture, and the conveying mechanism.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved method of making slotted tubular dunnage for supporting products in a shipping container. The method comprises providing a tube including a pair of opposed side walls integrally connected to each other, wherein each side wall has a terminal edge. The terminal edges are bridged together by a bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall has ends. Each end extends past one edge to define lateral flanges. The method further comprises providing a steel rule stamping apparatus having a plurality of steel rule stamping dies horizontally aligned, wherein each die has a face for stamping the tube to make the slotted tubular dunnage. The apparatus has a movable base plate in a home position, wherein the movable base plate has clamps attached thereto. Each of the clamps has notches formed thereon to receive one of the flanges. The movable base plate is movable along a substantially parallel plane relative to the face of each die. The method further includes sliding each of the flanges within one of the notches to position the tube on the movable base plate in the home position, and clamping the tube to substantially evenly hold the tube on the base plate in the home position, allowing the tube to be movable with the movable base plate. The method further includes moving the tube toward the die from the home position to an indexing position at which the tube is to be sensed, sensing the tube clamped on the base plate in the indexing position, moving the tube a first predetermined distance toward the die along the substantially parallel plane relative to the face of the die, and flattening the tube by engaging the opposed side walls. The method further includes cutting a first set of openings on the tube along the first predetermined distance to form a first set of horizontally aligned slots on the tube and respective cut-out slugs of the slots, defining the slotted tubular dunnage.